Armenia

Aram Hamparian - Don't Get an F in Armenian Affairs! ANCA's 2026 Report Cards | Ep 598, Oct 28, 2026 [EP598]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, United States, Diaspora, Elections | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Aram Suren Hamparian

Topics:

ANCA’s 2026 Congressional Report Cards
The 12 Congressional F Grades
Abe Hamadeh, TRIPP, and Armenian Interests
Azerbaijani Influence on Capitol Hill
Armenian-American Allies in Congress
Key Races in the 2026 Midterms

Episode 598 | Recorded: October 27, 2026

#ANCA #ArmenianAmerican #USMidterms2026 #Congress #ArmenianAffairs #ArmenianAdvocacy #AzerbaijanLobby

Aram Hamparian - Don't Get an F in Armenian Affairs! ANCA's 2026 Report Cards | Ep 598, Oct 28, 2026 [EP598]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, United States, Diaspora, Elections

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Aram Suren Hamparian

Topics:

ANCA’s 2026 Congressional Report Cards
The 12 Congressional F Grades
Abe Hamadeh, TRIPP, and Armenian Interests
Azerbaijani Influence on Capitol Hill
Armenian-American Allies in Congress
Key Races in the 2026 Midterms

Episode 598 | Recorded: October 27, 2026

#ANCA #ArmenianAmerican #USMidterms2026 #Congress #ArmenianAffairs #ArmenianAdvocacy #AzerbaijanLobby

Transcript: Aram Hamparian - Don't Get an F in Armenian Affairs! ANCA's 2026 Report Cards | Ep 598, Oct 28, 2026 [EP598]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, United States, Diaspora, Elections, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA, about the 2026 US midterm elections and Armenian-American advocacy on Capitol Hill. We discuss the Armenian National Committee’s congressional report cards, the twelve lawmakers receiving F grades for their positions on Armenian interests, and how Azerbaijani influence shapes votes in Congress. Hamparian breaks down key races and the stakes for Armenian diaspora engagement in American politics.

Armenia Votes, Opposition Jailed: Pashinyan's Democracy | Ep 597, Oct 25, 2026 [EP597]

Posted on Monday, Oct 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

Municipal elections and one-party dominance
Opposition arrests ahead of Stepanavan elections
Pashinyan’s threats of snap elections
Constitutional changes and Azerbaijani demands
Can elections bring political change?
Government bonuses, cronyism, and accountability
Remembering Rita Vorperian and Osheen Keshishian

Episode 597 | Recorded: October 25, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #NikolPashinyan #ArmenianElections #OppositionCrackdown #SnapElections #ConstitutionalReform #DemocracyUnderThreat

Armenia Votes, Opposition Jailed: Pashinyan's Democracy | Ep 597, Oct 25, 2026 [EP597]

Posted on Monday, Oct 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

Municipal elections and one-party dominance
Opposition arrests ahead of Stepanavan elections
Pashinyan’s threats of snap elections
Constitutional changes and Azerbaijani demands
Can elections bring political change?
Government bonuses, cronyism, and accountability
Remembering Rita Vorperian and Osheen Keshishian

Episode 597 | Recorded: October 25, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #NikolPashinyan #ArmenianElections #OppositionCrackdown #SnapElections #ConstitutionalReform #DemocracyUnderThreat

Vache Gabrielyan - Is the Growth Model Running Out of Steam? | Ep 596, Oct 25, 2026 [EP596]

Posted on Sunday, Oct 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Vache Gabrielyan

Topics:

Armenia’s 2026 economic performance and structural imbalances
Construction boom and housing market risks
Consumer credit growth and weak industrial productivity
Systemic failures in government budget execution
Armenia’s 2027 budget priorities and fiscal risks
Rising public debt and debt servicing costs
Defense spending and competing budget priorities
High-tech investments, AI, and economic sustainability

Episode 596 | Recorded: October 23, 2026

#ArmenianEconomy #EconomicGrowth #Armenia2026

Vache Gabrielyan - Is the Growth Model Running Out of Steam? | Ep 596, Oct 25, 2026 [EP596]

Posted on Sunday, Oct 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Vache Gabrielyan

Topics:

Armenia’s 2026 economic performance and structural imbalances
Construction boom and housing market risks
Consumer credit growth and weak industrial productivity
Systemic failures in government budget execution
Armenia’s 2027 budget priorities and fiscal risks
Rising public debt and debt servicing costs
Defense spending and competing budget priorities
High-tech investments, AI, and economic sustainability

Episode 596 | Recorded: October 23, 2026

#ArmenianEconomy #EconomicGrowth #Armenia2026

Transcript: Armenia Votes, Opposition Jailed: Pashinyan's Democracy | Ep 597, Oct 25, 2026 [EP597]

Posted on Monday, Oct 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this Groong Week in Review episode, Hovik and Asbed break down Armenia’s October 25, 2026 municipal elections and the stark reality of one-party rule under Pashinyan. We discuss administrative pressure, opposition arrests in Stepanavan, jailed candidates, and coerced party defections—exposing how Civil Contract dominates through control of police and judiciary rather than genuine democratic competition. We also examine Pashinyan’s threats of snap elections, constitutional changes responsive to Azerbaijani demands, and whether electoral politics can still deliver political change in Armenia.

Transcript: Vache Gabrielyan - Is the Growth Model Running Out of Steam? | Ep 596, Oct 25, 2026 [EP596]

Posted on Sunday, Oct 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dr. Vache Gabrielyan about Armenia’s 2026 economic performance and fiscal challenges. We discuss structural imbalances in the economy, banking sector stability, government budget execution failures, rising public debt, and competing priorities for defense spending and economic development heading into 2027.

Armenia on Fire Sale: Land Swaps, COP17, POWs, and the War for Gyumri | Ep 595, Oct 18, 2026 [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

Pashinyan’s territorial swap proposal with Azerbaijan
COP17 controversies and environmental double standards
UN inaction on Armenian POWs
Inadequate housing aid for Artsakh refugees
Municipal elections and alleged government pressure
Gyumri’s growing role as an opposition stronghold

Episode 595 | Recorded: October 21, 2026

#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Pashinyan #TerritorialSwap #COP17 #ArmenianPOWs #ArtsakhRefugees #Gyumri

Armenia on Fire Sale: Land Swaps, COP17, POWs, and the War for Gyumri | Ep 595, Oct 18, 2026 [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

Pashinyan’s territorial swap proposal with Azerbaijan
COP17 controversies and environmental double standards
UN inaction on Armenian POWs
Inadequate housing aid for Artsakh refugees
Municipal elections and alleged government pressure
Gyumri’s growing role as an opposition stronghold

Episode 595 | Recorded: October 21, 2026

#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Pashinyan #TerritorialSwap #COP17 #ArmenianPOWs #ArtsakhRefugees #Gyumri

Is Every Square Inch of Armenia Equal? [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Politics, Armenia

The hosts explain why Tigranashen, Armenia’s road artery to Iran, is not an equal trade for the Artsvashen enclave.

Why Pashinyan Needs Gyumri to Bend the Knee [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Politics, Economy, Armenia

Gyumri’s long neglect since the 1988 earthquake forged a defiant identity that now resists Civil Contract and anchors opposition investment.

Transcript: Armenia on Fire Sale: Land Swaps, COP17, POWs, and the War for Gyumri | Ep 595, Oct 18, 2026 [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed break down Pashinyan’s territorial swap proposal with Azerbaijan, examining the strategic implications for Armenia’s 29,743 square kilometers and the security of border communities. We discuss the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process, contradictions between government officials on formal negotiations, inadequate housing aid for Artsakh refugees displaced during the ethnic cleansing, UN inaction on Armenian Prisoners of War, and Gyumri’s emergence as an opposition stronghold ahead of municipal elections.

Arthur Martirosyan - Armenia at a Crossroads: Railways, Reactors, and Security | Ep 594, Oct 17, 2026 [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Arthur G. Martirosyan

Topics:

Azeri Soldier Infiltration and Shaki Shooting
Government Accountability and Border Security Failures
Russian Railways and Armenia’s Strategic Options
Nuclear Power: Russian Reactors vs. Western SMRs
TRIPP and Armenia’s Geopolitical Balancing Act
COP17, Environmental Destruction, and Appeasing Azerbaijan

Episode 594 | Recorded: October 16, 2026

#ArmenianElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #ArmenianOpposition

Arthur Martirosyan - Armenia at a Crossroads: Railways, Reactors, and Security | Ep 594, Oct 17, 2026 [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Arthur G. Martirosyan

Topics:

Azeri Soldier Infiltration and Shaki Shooting
Government Accountability and Border Security Failures
Russian Railways and Armenia’s Strategic Options
Nuclear Power: Russian Reactors vs. Western SMRs
TRIPP and Armenia’s Geopolitical Balancing Act
COP17, Environmental Destruction, and Appeasing Azerbaijan

Episode 594 | Recorded: October 16, 2026

#ArmenianElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #ArmenianOpposition

COP17 Is PR, Not National Interest [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Politics, Armenia, Media

Martirosyan calls Armenia’s COP17 hosting mostly PR, benefiting hoteliers and Pashinyan’s image more than national interests.

The US Has No Operational SMR [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Technology, Politics, Armenia

Martirosyan points out the US has no operational small modular reactor, undercutting a key piece of Armenia’s nuclear bluff with Russia.

There Is No Peace Without Justice [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Politics, Azerbaijan, Armenia

Martirosyan argues a settlement built on one side’s wrongdoing cannot hold, and that Pashinyan’s version of peace is unilateral concession.

Transcript: Arthur Martirosyan - Armenia at a Crossroads: Railways, Reactors, and Security | Ep 594, Oct 17, 2026 [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Arthur G. Martirosyan about Armenia at a crossroads in politics and security. We discuss the Shaki infiltration incident and government accountability, Pashinyan’s standoff with Russian Railways over the rail concession, nuclear energy options including Western SMRs versus Russian reactors, TRIPP’s implications for Armenian geopolitics, and environmental destruction at COP17.

Concessions Without Peace [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Politics, Azerbaijan, Armenia

Armenia says raising Azerbaijani forest destruction at the COP17 biodiversity summit it hosts would violate the presidency’s principles.

Pashinyan's Nuclear U-Turn and Armenia's Security Failures | Ep 593, Oct 11, 2026 [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

Pashinyan’s Nuclear Policy U-Turn
Azerbaijani Infiltration Into Shaki
Karapetyan To Unite The Opposition?
COP17 Spending Corruption
Pashinyan’s Broken Environmental Promises

Episode 593 | Recorded: October 13, 2026

#Armenia #Pashinyan #NuclearEnergy #Azerbaijan #NationalSecurity #SamvelKarapetyan #Corruption #Amulsar

Pashinyan's Nuclear U-Turn and Armenia's Security Failures | Ep 593, Oct 11, 2026 [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

Pashinyan’s Nuclear Policy U-Turn
Azerbaijani Infiltration Into Shaki
Karapetyan To Unite The Opposition?
COP17 Spending Corruption
Pashinyan’s Broken Environmental Promises

Episode 593 | Recorded: October 13, 2026

#Armenia #Pashinyan #NuclearEnergy #Azerbaijan #NationalSecurity #SamvelKarapetyan #Corruption #Amulsar

Save Amulsar: The Forgotten Campaign [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Politics, Economy, Armenia

A fading Save Amulsar graffiti prompts the hosts to revisit how an environmental cause used for regime change was quietly abandoned.

Shot Defending Her Children in Shaki [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Human Rights

An armed Azerbaijani soldier traveled 20 km into Armenia and shot a mother in her own home as she tried to defend her children in Shaki.

The Gambling Loophole Enriching Insiders [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Economy, Politics, Armenia

A gambling ban with an online loophole funneled an industry worth billions to an official’s close benefactor, the hosts explain.

Why Dependence on Russia Beats the West [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Politics, Russia, Armenia

Asbed argues Armenia has more leverage over Russia than over the US or France, and that nuclear dependency on Moscow may be the least-bad option.

Transcript: Pashinyan's Nuclear U-Turn and Armenia's Security Failures | Ep 593, Oct 11, 2026 [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s episode of Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed examine Pashinyan’s abrupt reversal on nuclear energy policy, shifting from Western small modular reactors to consideration of a Russian gigawatt-scale plant amid surging data center demands. We discuss the security implications of long-term energy dependency, the geopolitics behind Armenia’s power infrastructure choices, and ongoing concerns about Azerbaijani infiltration, opposition unity under Samvel Karapetyan, and corruption at COP17.

Harut Sassounian - Armenia’s Identity Crisis: Church, State, and Diaspora | Ep 592, Oct 2, 2026 [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Harut Sassounian

Topics:

Church-State conflict and Garegin II
Bern, Artsakh, and national identity
Government plans to “reform” Church
Pashinyan’s meeting with All-ASA
Armenia-Diaspora relations after June 7

Episode 592 | Recorded: September 30, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #NikolPashinyan #Artsakh #ArmenianDiaspora #ChurchState #ArmenianIdentity

Harut Sassounian - Armenia’s Identity Crisis: Church, State, and Diaspora | Ep 592, Oct 2, 2026 [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Harut Sassounian

Topics:

Church-State conflict and Garegin II
Bern, Artsakh, and national identity
Government plans to “reform” Church
Pashinyan’s meeting with All-ASA
Armenia-Diaspora relations after June 7

Episode 592 | Recorded: September 30, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #NikolPashinyan #Artsakh #ArmenianDiaspora #ChurchState #ArmenianIdentity

Pashinyan Says He Consulted Nobody [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Politics, Armenia

Sassounian says Pashinyan told parliament he consulted nobody and made his own decision, calling it one-man rule.

Pashinyan Wrote His UN Speech on the Plane [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Politics, Armenia

Sassounian describes Pashinyan posting a toothbrush on Facebook, then writing his UN General Assembly speech mid-flight to New York.

The Head of the First Christian Nation Is Suing the Catholicos [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenian Church, Politics, Armenia

Sassounian calls it shameful that the head of the first Christian nation is taking the Catholicos to court, with prison a possible outcome.

Transcript: Harut Sassounian - Armenia’s Identity Crisis: Church, State, and Diaspora | Ep 592, Oct 2, 2026 [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Harut Sassounian about Armenia’s identity crisis amid escalating conflict between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. We discuss Catholicos Garegin II’s statements at the May 2025 World Council of Churches conference in Bern, Pashinyan’s public attacks on senior clergy, the constitutional role of the Armenian Church in national identity, and the deeper geopolitical questions surrounding Armenia-Diaspora relations following the June 2026 Armenian parliamentary elections.

A Government Report to Remove the Catholicos [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenian Church, Politics, Armenia

The Prime Minister’s office published a 74 page report describing a Church crisis and laying out a roadmap to remove the Catholicos.

From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

September 27 war anniversary and memory
Pashinyan escalates campaign against Church
PACE raises concerns over elections
Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan at UNGA
Witkoff reveals Turkish regional advisers
Opposition faces post-election divisions
Arrests and prosecutions over speech
France and Azerbaijan move toward normalization

Episode 591 | Recorded: September 27, 2026

From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

September 27 war anniversary and memory
Pashinyan escalates campaign against Church
PACE raises concerns over elections
Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan at UNGA
Witkoff reveals Turkish regional advisers
Opposition faces post-election divisions
Arrests and prosecutions over speech
France and Azerbaijan move toward normalization

Episode 591 | Recorded: September 27, 2026

How Three Precincts Handed Pashinyan a Supermajority [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Politics, Armenia

Pashinyan fell short of 50 percent, then the annulment of three polling stations stripped Prosperous Armenia of five mandates and handed Civil Contract a three-fifths majority.

Transcript: From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed mark the sixth anniversary of the 44-Day War and examine Armenia’s deepening crisis over historical memory and national identity. We discuss the Armenian government’s controversial response to September 27 commemorations, escalating tension between the state and the Armenian Church, international concern over election integrity, and Armenia’s isolated position as Azerbaijan demolishes Artsakh’s Armenian cultural heritage while Turkey advances regional integration plans.

Does Armenia Still Need the Russian Base? [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Politics, Russia, Armenia

Aghajanian says Russia’s 102nd base in Gyumri still matters to Armenia, keeping Turkey at bay, and warns removing it would leave the country totally alone.

Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Dziunik Aghajanian

Topics:

Russian parliamentary election outcome
Middle East escalation and the Houthis
Armenia-Russia confrontation, including the 102nd base
Asset confiscation, anti-corruption, and Russian interests
Azerbaijan-Armenia “durable peace” tensions
Armenian opposition strategy

Episode 590 | Recorded: September 23, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #MiddleEast #UkraineWar #ArmenianPolitics #Geopolitics

Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Dziunik Aghajanian

Topics:

Russian parliamentary election outcome
Middle East escalation and the Houthis
Armenia-Russia confrontation, including the 102nd base
Asset confiscation, anti-corruption, and Russian interests
Azerbaijan-Armenia “durable peace” tensions
Armenian opposition strategy

Episode 590 | Recorded: September 23, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #MiddleEast #UkraineWar #ArmenianPolitics #Geopolitics

The Second Front Plan: Jermuk Was Orchestrated [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Politics, Russia, Armenia

Aghajanian argues the September 2022 Jermuk fighting was orchestrated by Western actors, Azerbaijan, and Pashinyan to draw Russia into a second front.

There Is No Judicial System Left in Armenia [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Politics, Human Rights, Armenia

Aghajanian says Armenia has no judicial system left, with 75% of judges appointed by the ruling group and orders coming from above.

Why Azerbaijan Stopped at Jermuk [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan

Aghajanian says Armenian soldiers fought back at Jermuk against government commands, pushing Azerbaijan back from a strategic corridor toward Nakhijevan.

Transcript: Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dziunik Aghajanian about shifting geopolitical pressures on Armenia following Russia’s September 2026 parliamentary elections. We discuss Putin’s strengthened domestic position, the Armenia-Russia confrontation over the 102nd base, asset confiscation and anti-corruption efforts targeting Russian interests, and how Middle East escalation and the Iran War reshape Armenia’s strategic environment amid ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process tensions.

Armenia Is Racing Toward Dictatorship [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Politics, Armenia, Human Rights

Arthur Khachatryan warns that Pashinyan’s threats and talk of mob justice signal Armenia is racing toward dictatorship.

Can an Armenian Even Use TRIPP [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia, Azerbaijan

Hovik asks a simple question about TRIPP that no one will answer: can an Armenian board a train in one village and get off in the next?

Only One Armenian Kept in the Museum [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Politics, Armenia, History

Khachatryan compares Civil Contract’s rhetoric about eradicating the ARF to a 1915 Turkish line about keeping one Armenian in a museum.

The $2 Billion Bluff [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Politics, Economy, Armenia

Khachatryan details how confiscated hotels and villas are resold at deep discounts to Pashinyan-linked buyers while families get nothing.

Who Really Needs the Gyumri Base [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia, Russia

Khachatryan flips the question on Western journalists: if the Russian base leaves and Armenia is attacked, will NATO react?

Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

Armenia marks 35 years independent
Artsakh remembered three years later
Armenian POWs remain in Baku
Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
Turkey-Azerbaijan deepen strategic coordination
Citizenship costs rise sharply
Government opacity over war casualties

Episode 588 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #ArmenianPOWs #Azerbaijan #Turkey #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

Armenia marks 35 years independent
Artsakh remembered three years later
Armenian POWs remain in Baku
Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
Turkey-Azerbaijan deepen strategic coordination
Citizenship costs rise sharply
Government opacity over war casualties

Episode 588 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #ArmenianPOWs #Azerbaijan #Turkey #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Five Times More Expensive for Diasporans to Gain Armenian Citizenship [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Diaspora, Politics, Armenia

Hovik breaks down a fivefold hike in Armenian citizenship fees and a tenfold increase to renounce, and argues it is deliberate diaspora policy.

Jailed, Then a Deal, Then His Case Vanished [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Politics, Armenia

Hovik recounts how Goris mayor Arush Arushanyan, jailed for protesting Pashinyan, saw his case dropped a week after allying with Civil Contract.

Why Won't They Release the War Dead's Names? [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Politics, Human Rights, Armenia

Hovik demands the names of those killed in the 2020 war and after, arguing the government’s silence hides a story of betrayal.

Transcript: Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong podcast episode, Hovik and Asbed reflect on Armenia’s 35th independence anniversary amid ongoing regional tensions and unresolved conflicts. We discuss the state of Armenian statehood three years after the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, Armenian prisoners of war still held in Baku, rising citizenship costs, government opacity over war casualties, and deepening Turkey-Azerbaijan strategic coordination.

How Beijing Really Sees TRIPP and the Middle Corridor [EP587]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, China, Armenia

Warwick Powell on why Beijing stays relaxed about TRIPP and the Middle Corridor, and how the risk of any route becoming a chokepoint is managed by keeping alternatives.